Lubricating system for sewing machines



Feb. 16, 1943. F; F. ZEIER 2,311,604

LUBRICA'I'ING SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Jan, 2'0, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1943. F. F. ZElER 2,311,604

LUBRIGATING SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 30, 1940S-Sheets-Sheet 2 fiedere 1 Zeier Feb. 16, 1943. F. F. ZEIER LUBRICATINGSYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 30, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented Feb. 16, 1943 LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR SEWING CHINES Frederick F.Zeier, Fairfleld, Conn., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company,Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Original application January30, 1940, Serial No. 316,297. Divided and this application October 26,1940, Serial No. 362,906

8 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and has for its primary objectto provide for the thorough and eiiicient lubrication of the machine toinsure long life under high speed operating conditions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pressurelubricating system which can a readily understood bythose skilled in theart from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a sewing machine,showing the inner workings thereof, the various bearings which requirelubrication and the pressure lubricating system employed fordistributing oil to said bearings.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the standard ofthe machine, showing the preferred location of the lubricating pump andthe inlet and outlet conduits therefor.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine-bed with the standard of themachine-frame in section and the work-supporting plate removed from thebed to expose the mechanism within the same. 7

Fig. 4 is a front side elevation of the machinebed and drip-pan, showingthe manner in which the latter is suspended from the table structure andthe resilient support of the machine-bed upon the drip-pan.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.316,297, filed Jan. 30, 1940, and only such reference will be made tothe general construction of the machine and the operating mechanism ofthe same as will enable a clear understanding of the lubricating system.

The machine comprises a hollow frame which is preferably cast in twosections and includes a rectangular bed I from one end of which rises astandard 2 of an overhanging bracket-arm 3 terminating in a head 4. Therectangular bed I (Fig. 3), is composed of vertically disposed front andrear walls 5 and 6, and end walls 'I and 8. Intermediate the end walls Iand 8 are two transverse dividing walls 9 and I which separate the bed Iinto individual compartments II', I2 and I3. Disposed in compartments II and I2 are the stitch-forming mechanism and the feeding mechanism,together with connections for actuating the same. Each of the twocompartments II and I2 is opened at the bottom to permit theprecipitation of spent oil, lint and dirt from the mechanism withinthese compartments. The end wall 8 of the bed adjacent the front wall isformed with an oil reservoir I4, see Figs. 2 and 4, closed at its lowerend by means of agasket-fitted detachable plate I5 and adapted to befilled through an oil-cup Ii threaded into the side wall of thereservoir I4. Secured alsoin the side wall of the reservoir is atransparent window II throughv which the level of the oil in thereservoir may be observed.

Secured upon the rear end-portion of the bed I is the standard 2 of thebracket-arm 3, the open face of which standard is adapted to be closedby a cover-plate I8 secured by screws I9. Formed integral with the upperend of the stand ard 2 is the bracket-arm 3 provided at the standard endwith an internal partition, at its head end with an internal partition2I and intermediate the partitions and 2| with a depending boss 22. Thepartitions 20 and 2| define a compartment 23 housing the actuatingeccentric 24 and the stitch-length indicating disk 25 of the needle-feedmechanism. The partitions 20 and 2| provide supports for a commercialneedle-bearing 26 and ball-bearing 21 in which is journaled the main orarm-shaft 28. To lend support to the arm-shaft and to prevent whippingthereof, the depending boss 22 is fitted with a second needle-bearing 29embracing a sleeve 30 clamped to rotate with the main-shaft between aneedle-thread nipper actuating cam 3| and the hub 32 of thestitch-length indicating disk 25.

The internal partition 29, Fig. 1, is preferably formed with anelongated bearing boss 34 having a bore 35 snugly receiving the outercasing of the needle-bearing 26, which bearing embraces a sleeve 36clamped upon the arm-shaft 28 to rotate therewith between a collar 31and the inner end of the hub 38 of a belt-sprocket 39. Fixed upon theend of the arm-shaft 28 in face-to-face contact with the hub 38 of thebeltsprocket is the usual belt-driven balance-wheel means of aconventional clip-belt 46 to rotate at a ratio of one-to-one. It will beobserved in Fig. 1 that the needle-bearing 4I supports the inner end Prtion of the lowermain-shaft 44 in a manner identical with that of theher'einbetore described mounting for the needle-bearing 25 on thearm-shaft 29 and, therefore, no further description of the mounting forthe needle-bearing 4 I is believed necessary. The needle-bearing 42 islocated in the transverse wall I9 of the bed I and embraces a sleeve 45'clamped upon the lower main-shaft 44 to rotate therewith between twocollars 41 and 48. Needle-bearing 49 is mounted in the transverse wall 9of the bed I in a manner diflering only from needle-bearing 42 in thatthe sleeve embraced by the needle-bearing is clamped between thefeed-advance eccentric and the feedlift eccentric of the lower feedingmechanism. The main-shaft 44 at its forward end-portion has securedthereto-a plurality of eccentrics and a suitable crank for actuating themechanism located within the bed I.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4; it will be seen that the bed I isprovided with a detachably secured work-supporting plate 49 formed witha cut-out to receive the usual throat-plate 59. When the machine ismounted upon a tablestructure the surface of the work-supporting plate49 is adapted to be substantially flush with the table-top T. This isaccomplished preferably by resting the four comers of the machine-bed I,which are apertured as at 59', upon resilient pads I composed of rubber,felt, neoprene, or the like, fitted with locating pins 52 adapted toenter the apertures 59'. The resilient pads 5I are suitably fastenedupon posts 59 rising from the side walls of an open-topped box-likedrippan 54. The drip-pan has preferably integral therewith threehorizontally projecting lugs 55, two at the standard end of the machine,see Fig. 2, and one centrally of the head end of the machine, aperturedas at 55 to receive the lower ends of suspension bolts 51 depending fromthe tabletop '1. Interposed between the upper face of each of the lugs55 and the table-top T is a resilient pad 58 and disposed between thelower face oi. each of the lugs and the nut on the suspension bolts 51is a second resilient pad 59. The resilient pads 5i, 58 and 59 areprovided to dampen tomatically by a ball-valve 11 active in response topressure created by the manual actuation of the piston 51.

The inlet port 14 of the pump 59 is connected by the pipe 5| tolubricant reservoir I4 in the bed I, Fig. 2. The two outlet ports 15and'15 oi the pump 59 are connected by pipes 52 and 55 to the lowermain-shaft 44 and the arm-shaft 25. respectively. The lower end of theoutlet pipe 52 is received in the upper end of a. hole 18 in theend-wall 5 of the bed I. The lower end of the hole 18 registers with anannular groove 19 formed in the periphery of the rotatable collar 89fixed upon the lower main-shaft 44. The oil supplied under pressure tothe annular groove 19 by the pump is led through a radial duct 5 I inthe collar 89 to an annular groove 92 in the periphery of the main-shaft44 and from said groove through the radial duct 85 into the longitudinalbore 84 in the main-shaft 44. In this manner oil is conducted to theshaft-bore which is closed at its opposite ends. the oil in the borebeing dispersed to the various needle-bearings 4|, 42 and 49, theccentrics 55, 55 and 51, the

crank-pin 58 and tubular pin 59 for actuating the looper mechanism,- andthe pin-and-sleeve connections 99 and 9i for raising and lowerlngthefeed-dog 92 through a series of small radial ducts 99 in the main-shaft44.

The upper end of the second outlet pipe 59 has secured thereto acommercial fitting 94 threaded into a boss 95 integral with the internalpartition 29 adjacent the balance-wheel end of the bracket-arm 5. Inalinement with the fitting 94 the boss 95 is formed with a port 95 ofwhich the upper end is in register with an annular groove 91 cut intothe rotatable collar 81 fixed upon the arm-shaft 28. From the annulargroove 91 the oil is led through a duct 95 into an annular groove 99 inthe periphery of the arm-shaft 28 and from the annular groove 99 throughthe radial duct I99 into the bore III of the arm-shaft. As in the lowermainshaft 44,

' the oil in the bore I9l is dispersed to the needlevibrations set up inthe machine during high speed operation.

In order that the machine may be operated at high speed there isprovided a lubricating system which is manually controlled to distributeoil under pressure to various hearings in the machine. In the machinechosen for illustration, Figs. 1 and 2, there is provided within thestand" ard 2 a suitable pump 69 fitted with an inlet pipe 6i and twooutlet pipes 52 and 63, pipe 53 supeplying oil to the mechanism withinthe bracket arm 3 and head 3 and pipe -52 supplying oil to themechanisms within the bed I.

Referring to 1, one wall of the standard 2 is preferably formed with 9.lug $9 apertured to receive a supporting extension 65 integral with thehousing of the pump The pump is preferably of the plunger type andcomprises a cylinder 66 fitted with a piston 91 fastened upon the end ofa rod 59 slidably journaled in a head 55 vented as at 19 and threadedupon the cylinder 66. The exposm end of the piston-rod 98 is equippedwith a knurled head II which is normally disposed within a cavity I2formed in the cover-plate I8 which closes the open face of the standard2. The pump at the base of the cylinder 88 is formed with a chamber 13having an inlet port 14 and two outlet ports 15 and 19. Each of thethree ports is opened and closed aubearings 28 and 29, the ball-bearing21, the needle-bar vibrating eccentric 24, and to the needlebarreciprocating mechanism through a series of small radial ducts I92 inthe arm-shaft 28. In Fig. 1, it will be observed that oil is conductedto the balls in the ball-bearing 21 by means of a disk I93 fixed torotate with the arm-shaft 28 and having its inner face in position toreceive oil from the end of the radial duct i92. During rotation of thearm-shaft, the oil collected on the face of the disk I93 is thrown tothe outer inturned edge thereof and is directed between the raceways andonto the halls in contact therewith. Excess oil from the mechanismwithin the compartment 23 in the bracket-arm 3 is returned distributingthe oil supplied by the port I95 to the needle-bearings H9 and to thebearing surface between the needle-bar pin III and the actuating link II 2 through the bore of the latter. The stud I98 is retained in the boreof the crankpin ill by the set-screw 3 which closes the outer end of thebore I08 in the crank- I".

It can be understood from the above description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, that I have provided a sewing machinelubricating mechanism which is designed be distributed under pressure tothe bore of both the upper and the lower shafts 28 and II, repectively,and that the oil then is conducted to the various bearings by radialducts. These radial ducts are purposely made of such a diameter that asufficient quantity of oil will be delivered to each bearing, and alsosmall enough so that the system will be maintained filled with oil,thereby to eliminate-the formation of air-pockets in the systems. In theembodiment chosen to illustrate my invention, the pump 60 employed is ofthe well known plunger type which is adapted to be manually actuated bythe operator whenever it is necessary to lubricate the machine. It is tobe understood that any suitable type of pump may be substituted for theplunger-pump disclosed, and that automatic means may be used to actuatethe pump at the end of a predetermined number of stitches.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:

1. In a sewing machine; the combination of a frame including a bed, astandard having an internal lug, and a bracket-arm; stitch-formingdevices and work-feeding means; an actuating shaft journaled in bearingsin said frame and having a longitudinal bore; mechanism connected tosaid shaft for actuating either the stitch-forming devices or thework-feeding means; means connecting the bore of said actuating shaftwith the bearings in which said shaft is journaled and with the variousbearing surfaces of the mechanism operated by said shaft;

a lubricant reservoir; and means including a manually operated pump fordelivering lubricant under pressure controllable directly by theoperator from said reservoir to the bore in said actuating shaft fordistribution to the bearings supporting said shaft and to the bearingsurfaces of the mechanism operated by said shaft, said pump having ahousing fitted with a supporting extension adapted to be secured to saidstandard lug.

2. A sewing machine having; in combination; a frame including a bed, astandard having a lug, and a bracket-arm; stitch-forming devicesincluding a needle and a complemental looptaker, work-feeding means; anactuating-shaft journaled in bearings in said bed and having alongitudinal bore; a second actuating-shaft journaled in bearings insaid bracket-arm and having a longitudinal bore; means connecting thebores of said actuating-shaft with the bearings supporting the same; alubricant-reservoir; and a pump for delivering lubricant under pressurefrom said reservoir to the longitudinal bore in each of saidactuating-shafts, said pump having a housing fitted with a supportingextension adapted :to be received in said standard-lug, an inletconnection extending into said reservoir and outlet connections forsupplying lubricant to the bores of the two actuating-shafts.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination;

a frame provided with an anti-friction bearing; stitch-forming devicesincluding a needle and a complemental loop-taker; work-feeding means; anactuating shaft ournaled in said bearing and having a longitudinal bore;a lubricant reservoir; means for delivering oil from said reservoir tothe bore in said actuating shaft; and a disk secured on said shaft andhaving one of its faces in register with a duct extending from the borein said shaft, said disk adapted to collect lubri-' cant from said ductand deliver it to said antifriction bearing to lubricate the same.

4. A sewing machine having a frame including a bracket-arm terminatingin a head; a needle-bar journaled in said head; an actuating shaftjournaled in said bracket-arm; needle-bar actuating mechanism operatedby said shaft for imparting reciprocatory movements to said needle-bar,said mechanism including a crank having a hollow crank-pin and a linkconnecting said crank-pin to said needle-bar; a-stud adapted forsecuring said link upon said crank-pin and having a reduced shankdisposed in the-hollow of said crank-pin and forming therewith alubricant passageway for conducting oil to the bearings in saidneedle-bar actuating mechanism; and means for supplying oil to saidlubricant passageway.

5. A sewing machine having a frame including a' head; a needle-barjournaled in said head; an actuating shaft journaled in said frame andhaving a longitudinal bore; needle-bar actuating mechanism operated bysaid shaft for imparting reciprocatory movements to said needlebar, saidmechanism including a crank having a hollow crank-pin and a linkconnecting said crank-pin to said needle-bar; a stud adapted forsecuring said link upon said crank-pin and having a reduced shankdisposed in the hollow of said crank-pin and forming therewith alubricant passageway for conducting oil to the bearings in'saidneedle-bar actuating mechanism; means for conducting lubricant from thebore in said actuating shaft to the lubricant passageway in said hollowcrank-pin; and means for delivering lubricant to the bore in saidactuating shaft.

6. A sewing machine having, in combination; a frame; stitch-formingdevices including a needle and a complemental loop-taker; work-feedingmeans; a partition in said frame providing a bearing boss; ananti-friction bearing in said boss; an actuating shaft journaled in saidantifriction bearing and having a longitudinal bore and a plurality ofradial ducts; a member secured on said shaft on one side of theanti-friction bearing; a sleeve secured on said shaft within saidbearing-boss and on the other side of the anti-friction bearing; alubricant duct in said sleeve in register with one of said radial ductsin said shaft; a lubricant reservoir in said frame; and means forconducting lubricant from said reservoir to the lubricant duct in saidsleeve and thence to the bore in said actuating shaft.

7. A sewing machine having; in combination; a frame including a bed anda bracket-arm connected by a standard, said standard having an openface; a cover-plate adapted :to close the open face of said standard andhaving a cavity formed therein; stitch-forming devices including aneedle and a complemental loop-taker; work-feeding means; actuatingmechanism within said frame for imparting operative movements to saidstitch-forming devices and work-feeding means; and means for lubricatingsaid actuating mechanism including a manually actuated pump,

said pump being located within said standard and having its actuatingmember extending through said cover-plate and when not in use disposedwithin said cavity in said cover-plate.

8. A sewing machine having; in combination; a frame including a bed,standard and bracketarm, stitch-forming devices including a needle and acomplemental loop-taker; an actuatingshaft journaled in bearings in saidbed and having a longitudinal bore; a second actuating-shaft 10journaled in bearings in said bracket-arm and having a longitudinalbore; means connecting

